MR.HOPERA – Adrian Dunn

Adrian Dunn,is an accomplished singer, composer and producer. He is the founder and CEO of HoperaWorld Entertainment. He has sang in the CCM Spoleto Opera Festival in Spoleto Italy and was nominated for “Best Music Director” from the Black Theater Alliance Awards for his work with HOPERA- A hip hop opera in 2010. He opened for international hip hop recording artists The Roots at Indiana University Auditorium in 2005 and was a featured solo artist on the Higher Ground Live DVD recording in Finland (2007). He has prepared and provided background vocals for numerous pop, r&b and gospel artists in the United States and abroad, including Tony Momrelle (UK band Incognito), Rena Darling (EU), Max C (EU) and others. He has also sang with the Chicago Symphony Chorus, Grant Park Symphony Chorus, and appeared as a vocalist with the Rob Parton Jazz Orchestra.

Mr. Dunn’s Operatic and Oratorio credits include L’efant et les Sortilege, The Scarf (Hoiby), Faure Requiem, The Seven Last Words, Chichester Psalms, Walton in I Puritani and Basilio in Marriage of Figaro, Un Ballo in Maschera (Scenes) and a frequent bass soloist in Handel’s Messiah. Mr. Dunn was the winner in the Bel Canto Opera Competition (2004), Bella Voce Award (2004), National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS) Chicago 1st place winner in (2005) and winner in the Chicago Musical Association Voice Competition (2006). In 2005 he participated in the Centro Studi Lirica Opera Festival in Novafeltria, Italy. Mr. Dunn served as the Artistic Director and principle conductor of the Legacy Black Music Project at Roosevelt University for five years.

Mr. Dunn is currently principle conductor, composer, and executive Producer of HOPERA: A Hip Hop Opera which received critical acclaim in its Cleveland World premiere and Chicago Premiere performances in 2009. The Chicago Sun Times hails “Dunn’s score is hugely impressive…” “…Superb and powerfully sung”. He received a 2009 Mac Arthur Foundation and Richard Dreihaus Foundation award for his innovative work with HOPERA: a hip hop opera. He is director of Music and Arts at Grant AME Church, Chicago. He recently recorded his freshmen CD project “Introducing Adrian Dunn. The Voice.” His more recent project HOPERA Unleashed was released in 2011.

He holds a Bachelor of Music and Masters of Music in vocal performance from Roosevelt University and additional studies at the Sibelius Academy of Music, Helsinki Finland.